Beyond transformational: how servant leadership fosters knowledge sharing through psychological safety and trust

Purpose The purpose of this study is to analyze the identical effect of transformational leadership (TL) and servant leadership (SL) and to uncover additional variations that SL may represent in employee knowledge-sharing behavior (KSB) above and beyond TL. This research also analyzes the conflicting mechanisms by which TL and SL affect KSB. Design/methodology/approach Data were obtained through a quantitative survey design of 527 employees from diverse IT businesses in Bangladesh. Structural equation modeling was largely used to test hypotheses and compare models. Findings The results imply that SL not only has a greater influence on KSB but also represents an additive variation in KSB above and beyond TL. The findings further show that the impact of SL on KSB is better communicated by psychological safety (PS). Alternatively, the power of TL is best transferred via trust in leader. Practical implications This study unwinds the roles of transformational and SL in allowing knowledge-sharing in knowledge-intensive organizations. It means that by adopting a two-pronged leadership style, managers could promote the sharing of knowledge by generating PS and trust. Originality/value This study gives early empirical evidence of SL’s additional effect on employee KSB, exceeding TL. It also contributes to leadership literature by exploring the diverse implications of sharing knowledge using theory-driven methodologies.